Natalie Kramer Anderson's life is defined by eddies and driftwood, white water and waterfalls—and she wouldn't have it any other way. “Rivers are the lifeblood of the planet,” says the 30-year-old professional kayaker and scientist. The Boise, Idaho-based Anderson is one of the top female kayakers on the planet, known as a fearless all-arounder who has launched off 90-foot Metlako Falls in Oregon and competed in the Whitewater Grand Prix, one of the sport’s premiere events. Over the years, she’s boated Class V rapids in Uganda’s White Nile; navigated the Cascadas de Agua Azul in Zapatista-controlled territory in Chiapas, Mexico; and notched the third female descent of the Stikine River in British Columbia, what’s considered the Mount Everest of the
WATCH: National Geographic grantee Natalie Kramer Anderson and her team study the impact that hydroelectric dams could have on the Marañón River, a key tributary of the Amazon.
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